


Work

by timelordvictorious1



Series: Greenwood Royal Family Chronicles [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Brief Mention of Grief, F/M, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Marriage, Thranduil Not Being An Asshole, Workaholic Thranduil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:20:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22984678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timelordvictorious1/pseuds/timelordvictorious1
Summary: Thranduil is a workaholic. His wife and his butler don’t approve. Hopefully this is the beginning of a series in which we eventually meet our favorite elven Prince.
Relationships: Galion & Thranduil (Tolkien), Thranduil (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Thranduil/Thranduil's Wife
Series: Greenwood Royal Family Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676581
Kudos: 42





	Work

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :)  
> Any comments, questions, suggestions, and constructive criticisms are welcome.

Thranduil had been working diligently in his study all morning. He had hoped to finish his work before midday, but that was wishful thinking. It seemed that every couple of minutes another courtier was bringing him more work. Trade agreements needed to be reviewed and signed, treaties with neighboring kingdoms needed to be approved— in fact, it seemed that even the most trivial matters needed his approval. His irritation was multiplying with every knock on his door.

“ _I will bite the head off of the next person who disturbs me” he thought bitterly_.

Almost as if on cue, there came another knock on the door. He knew this knock. It was unmistakable. Galion.  
Galion didn’t even wait to be told to enter—he never did.  
Galion walked in and bowed his head formally. Immediately, Thranduil knew it was a formal matter. Galion never stood on ceremony when it was just them two, and Thranduil preferred it that way.

“What is it, Galion?”

“My King, a rider has come from Imladris. He says he has a message for you, from Lord Elrond.”

Thranduil rolled his eyes. He thought it was surely another problem—another matter that would take up his time and attention.  
“I’ll see him at once. Send him in.”

Galion turned on his heels and went to escort the messenger in.

The messenger hastily walked in, bowed, and handed Thranduil the message. Thranduil massaged the bridge of his nose before bringing himself to open the letter, fully expecting it to contain bad news.

The messenger cleared his throat before speaking. “My Lord Elrond bade me to give you a message before you read the letter, Your Majesty. He said he knew that receiving a letter via messenger so out of the blue would cause you much disquiet. He wishes for me to assure you that it’s neither a portent of war nor evil. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”

“You know the contents of this letter” questioned Thranduil.

“Yes, I do. It’s quite good news.”

“You’ve had a long journey. Galion will see to it that you have a comfortable room and as much food and wine as you wish. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you’d like. Please, rest and make yourself at home.”  
Thranduil clearly wanted to be left alone.

Galion and the messenger took the hint and turned to leave.  
“Galion” called out Thranduil, “come back as soon as you’re done settling him in.”

“As you wish, My King” said Galion with a playful smile and false deference.

Thranduil rolled his eyes just as they left. As soon as they closed the door behind them he cursed under his breath. That damned messenger left him with more questions than answers. He felt that he’d explode if he didn’t get some answers right that second. He frenziedly tore the seal off of the parchment.

_My old friend, Thranduil,_   
_The Valar have seen fit to bless Celebrian and me with two beautiful twin boys. Celebrian and I are overjoyed at the arrival of our sons. We will be hosting festivities beginning on the day of the Summer Solstice and we’d be delighted and honored if you and Erynith would attend. I apologize for the brevity of this letter but the twins are crying and it is my duty to help Celebrian with them._   
_Fondly, Elrond_   
_Lord of Imladris_

Thranduil breathed a sigh of relief and immediately his mood was turned. It was good news. No, not good. It was excellent news. He read the letter over and over again. He was excited for his friends. He had grown up with Celebrian, she was his kin—practically a sister—and Elrond had been his friend for thousands of years. No one would ever call him sociable, but this was an event he wouldn’t want to miss. It was such a joyous opportunity to be able to celebrate with what remained of his kin. He sat back in his seat, revelling in contented silence while happy thoughts swirled in his head.  
Gradually, it dawned on him that the event was planned for the Summer Solstice. That was only two weeks away. He read and reread the letter to make sure he was correct. The more he read it the more he was convinced he wouldn’t be able to attend. He had more than enough work to keep him occupied for the foreseeable future. He hardly had time to eat dinner with his beloved Queen lately, let alone leave the kingdom for weeks at a time. His mood quickly took a turn for the worse. However bad it was before the messenger arrived, now it was multiplied tenfold.

Without knocking or announcing himself, Galion strolled into Thranduil’s study—completely unaware of what he was walking into.

“Don’t you ever knock” snapped Thranduil.

“When I feel like it” he smirked.

“Why are you back so soon? Surely, you left our guest to his devices because you were so eager to come back and find out the news. It’s no wonder you have a reputation for being the kingdom’s biggest gossip.”

“Then, not for the first time, you’re wrong. He wished to bathe before dinner. I left word with the kitchen maids to send him some food when he’s done, because I, unlike you, know how to delegate. I gather that message was not good news like he said it would be.”

“Then, not for the first time, YOU are wrong! It’s excellent news, I’ll have you know.”

“Come one then, what is it? Why has this excellent news put you in such a foul mood?”

“I’m not in a foul mood” he said through gritted teeth.

“Come on, I haven’t seen you like this in a while. Take your time” he added while settling into a chair.

Thranduil rolled his eyes again. No one could elicit so many eyerolls from him in one conversation like Galion could. After a couple of minutes of sighing dejectedly, he handed the letter to Galion to read.

“I don’t understand. Are you jealous? Is that what has put you in such a bad mood?”

Thranduil scoffed at the idea. “Of course not. You know Celebrian is like a sister to me. But I have too much work here. I can’t just leave.”

Galion sat there with a smirk.  
“Just as I said, you need to learn to delegate.”

“Just because it’s easy for you to shirk your responsibilities doesn’t mean we all can.”

“Why don’t we ask your wife? Who do you think she’ll agree with?”

“I don’t want to disturb her. She has enough work to do. Besides, she knows how busy my work keeps me. She knows it’d be impossible for me to leave.”

“We won’t be disturbing her. She was heading up to your rooms just as I was coming here. Let’s make it interesting. Let’s bet on it. If I’m right, you’ll take time off to attend the celebration. If you’re right, I’ll let you come up with whatever punishment you deem worthy.”

That sounded very interesting to Thranduil. “Whatever punishment I choose? Are you sure you know what you’re risking, my friend?”

“I risk nothing. I know Erynith will agree with me. And I know that somewhere, deep down, you agree with me too.”

Thranduil rolled his eyes again.  
“I don’t know why I keep you around. When there are so many who would do your job without contradicting me so much.”

“That’s precisely why you keep me around. No one else, besides Erynith and me, would ever dare tell you what you don’t want to hear. Especially when it’s what you need to hear.”

“I really do hate you, you know that? Fine. I accept your bet. Let’s go find my wife.” Thranduil rose from his seat and went to seek his wife with his humble butler/best friend in tow.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Thranduil strode into his and Erynith’s shared rooms. She was nowhere to be found.  
“See. I told you she wouldn’t be here” Thranduil remarked proudly.

Almost instantly there came a voice from the bathing chamber. “Thranduil?” Is that you my love? I’m just in here. I’ll be out in a second!”

Thranduil threw himself onto the bed, ignoring the wide grin on his butler’s face. After a few minutes, Erynith walked out of the bathing chamber, clad in only a sheer linen slip.

Galion quickly averted his eyes. “My Queen! I apologize for not making my presence known. I will leave at once!”

“Stuff and nonsense, Galion. I’m not shy. Let me just fetch my robe and we’ll get down to the reason why you’re both here waiting for me and why my husband looks as if he’s given up for the day.”

“I will fetch it, my Lady.”  
Thranduil and Erynith look on amusedly as Galion retrieved the robe and handed it to her, all while averting his eyes from the queen’s nearly-naked form.

“So, don’t you think you’d better get down to answering my questions? Or must I guess” she asked while sitting on the bed next to Thranduil and planting a kiss on his forehead.

Thranduil sighed before recounting the tale of the events that had transpired in the last several hours. He neglected telling her about the bet he had with Galion.

Erynith had only met Celebrian a handful of times, but she was very good friends with Elrond. She studied the art of healing under his tutelage. It was even said that she had surpassed him in that art.  
“I, for one, am excited to go” she declared.

“There is nothing I would love more than to go. But if you knew the mountain of work I would have to get through to even consider that possibility, you’d understand.”

“I understand that you love to micromanage your kingdom. We will be gone no more than a month. Surely, they can spare you that long. Isn’t that what you have advisors for? To help you run the kingdom?”

“It’s not just this kingdom. We’re negotiating treaties and trade agreements with various human settlements. You know how fleeting mortal lives are.”

“Yes. I know how fleeting they are my love. That is also the reason I know that one month’s delay will not kill them or you. In fact, it may do you some good. You’ve been far too moody for my liking as of late. A change is as good as a rest, Thranduil.”

“May I interject, my Lady” asked Galion.

“Of course, Galion. Don’t tell me you agree with my stubborn husband?”

“As a matter of fact, we had a difference of opinion. My stance was very much the same as yours. It may also interest you to know that we placed a bet. If you and I were in agreement, he agreed to find the time to attend the celebration. And it very much seems to me that we are in agreement.”

Thranduil sat up, glaring at the traitorous butler. He hated it when they ganged up on him.

“Then it seems to me,” stated Erynith definitively, “that the matter is decided. Have you any more thoughts to add, my love?”

“Just one” he said as he took a knife from his belt. “Why don’t you both take turns at finishing your betrayal and lodging this into my back? Who wants to start?”

“Don’t be so dramatic, darling” she said as she kissed him.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

That night, Erynith woke up and tried to put her arms around her husband. Much to her surprise, Thranduil’s side was empty. She judged from the coldness of the covers that it had been empty quite a while. Something told her exactly where she’d find him, so she lit a candle and made her way to his study. Sure enough, he was working on a stack of papers while looking half asleep.  
“Thranduil, my love, what are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”

“I told you, darling. I have too much work. I can’t leave until this is done.”

“The kingdom won’t fall into disrepair if you take some time off, my love. I knew what I was getting into when I married you. But it seems to me that it’s been getting worse. You’ve become an absentee husband. You’re already gone by breakfast time in the morning. And you’re usually back after I’ve had my dinner and gone to bed. I need to be at least as important to you as this kingdom.”

“You’re right. It’s just that my father never took time off from his work. He was always working. He always instilled in me that a good king puts his realm before all else. Ignoring his lessons feels like I’m betraying his memory.” A small tear escaped his eye. The grief of Orpher’s death was still too close to bear.

“I think your father was wrong. Working like this will eat away at you. Until only an empty shell of the _ellon_ I married is left.”  
She wiped away the tear that had fallen from his eye.  
“Come back to bed, and I’ll make it worth your while” she said with a flirtatious, mischievous grin.

“As you wish, my queen.”


End file.
